Loss
by Salmon
Summary: This story centers around Willy, though Mick's in it too. More flashbacks, of course. You know me. Originally I was going to put this up as a part 2 to Maybe, but I think it works best separately.


**Loss  
**_A Xyber 9: New Dawn Fanfic_

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* * *

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Willy glanced around the ruins of a destroyed village. It was quiet, not even a wind to whistle down the remains of the standing buildings. The sun was setting on the barren horizon, casting shadows across the rubble.  
  
He walked slowly through the village until he reached the remains of one house. The roof had collapsed in and only two walls were left standing. He reached out to touch one wall, then walked around to what had once been the back of the house. Clearing away the debris of a collapsed stone wall he pulled something out of a pouch on his belt - fruit from the arboretum. Kneeling down he sliced open the fruit, pulling out the seeds and planting them in the cleared soil. He looked up, and around at the area, still partly cornered off by the partly collapsed wall.

* * *

"It looks empty without a garden."  
  
"A garden?"  
  
"Plants. For food...well, mostly for food."  
  
"Plants don't grow around here."  
  
"When did plants stop growing here?"  
  
"There hasn't been plants here for centuries."  
  
"But there's plenty of rain, it makes no sense for plants not to grow."  
  
"There's something wrong with the soil. Once, the village elders was young, one of them brought back a sapling from the southern jungle. He'd kept it alive the whole journey back, but the moment he planted it in the soil it died. There's something in the soil, it won't support plantlife."  
  
"I take it there's no laboratories to analyze the soil."  
  
"Laboratories?"  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
"What does it matter why the soil won't support plants? The fact that nothing can grow here is the important part."  
  
"Maybe if we knew why plants won't grow we could fix it."  
  
"It's like this all over Terrana. Are you going to fix the entire world?"  
  
"...no, I'm not. Someone else can."  
  
"Someone else can? Sooner or later someone has to do something. What will you do then?"  
  
"It's not my problem."  
  
"It's everyone's problem."  
  
"So, what are you going to do?"  
  
"What I can."

* * *

In one of the houses that was still mostly standing, Willy had started a fire. Night had set in; clouds obscured the moon and stars. The fire was the only light. Willy stirred the contents of a pot over the fire, then went to an opening in one of the walls to look out across the destroyed village again.

* * *

The sun shone brightly, and the streets of the village were decorated with bright banners and decorations. Music was playing loudly from the village square, and the smells of many different foods hung in the air.  
  
"I want to go listen to the musicians!" A young girl's voice piped from behind a mound of bread she carried.  
  
Willy turned, shaking his head, and took the bread from her. "Once we've finished delivering our donation to the feast, then we can enjoy the festival, sister."  
  
"But that's what we just did!" She complained, pointing to the bread they'd just put on the table.  
  
"Now we must speak with the village elders." Willy replied.  
  
"But they go on forever." She scuffed the ground with her toe.  
  
"Is it really neccessary for Tally to be there?" Mick asked from behind them. "I could take her to the village square. The elders don't like me very much anyway. It's probably best if I don't go with you."  
  
"Oh, please!" Tally turned pleading eyes on Willy. "I won't get into any trouble!"  
  
"....alright, go on ahead."  
  
"Hurrah!" Tally hugged him, then turned to grab Mick's hand. "This way. I'll show you so you won't get lost."  
  
"I don't think I'm going to get lost." Mick told her as she dragged him away.  
  
"You might! We're the biggest town for miles."  
  
Willy shook his head as he looked after his sister and friend, then turned to look around the banquet hall. When the sun set all the village would come to the feast, forgetting for one night the troubled times they lived in. He paused. For a moment he thought he'd seen someone in the shadows outside the window. "Hello?" He crossed over to look outside, but noone was there. With a frown he turned away, and went to find the elders.

* * *

"Isn't the music pretty?" Tally asked Mick. They were seated next to the stage the musicians were playing on. "I want to play an instrument when I grow up, and travel all across Terrana."  
  
"Is that so." Mick replied, glancing around the square.  
  
"Don't you like the music? You keep looking around."  
  
"I guess I just have a feeling..." Mick began, but trailed off, turning back to Tally. "The music is nice, I guess."  
  
"Willy says you're from a big city. What's the music like there? Like this?"  
  
"No, very different."  
  
"Alex's grandfather's from a big city. He says city's are really different from towns. He says there's places called music halls where music is played every night. Was there one in your city?"  
  
"Probably."  
  
"Did you ever go there?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Alex's grandfather also said that the war is bad in the cities. He says we're lucky cuz we're in the middle of nowhere, so war doesn't come here."  
  
"Yes, your town is very lucky."  
  
"Alex's older brother Tom says you're a soldier. That you fight in the war. He says the elders don't like you cuz you've never said who'd side you're on. Who's side are you on?"  
  
"....Fortune and Fate's."  
  
"Well...which side is that?"  
  
"It's neither side, at the moment. But it could be either, or both. Or some other side."  
  
"But the war only has two sides...doesn't it?"  
  
"Does it?"  
  
"Well...if there's a third side, and you fight for it, who's in charge?"  
  
"...I don't know."  
  
"You mean you don't remember. Mommy and Daddy say the fever messed up you head and you don't remeber things right.....oops, I wasn't supposed to say that." Tally put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Why do they say that?"  
  
"Cuz when you were sick with the fever you kept talking about the Machina and Machestro. And everyone knows they aren't real." Tally said matter-of-factly. "So the fever messed up your head. They say now that you're over it your head will get better."  
  
"How reassuring." Mick looked around again, and paused. For a moment he thought he'd seen something in the shadows. "Look, Tally, I want you to stay right here - don't run off and get into trouble."  
  
"Why? What are you going to do?"  
  
"I'm just-"  
  
"Are you gonna run off and get into trouble?"  
  
"No, of course not. I'm just going to go look at something. Now stay here." He hurried off into the crowd.  
  
Tally hopped up as if to go after him, then sank back down slowly. She glanced around the square, rubbing her arm absently. The sun still shone brightly, but she swore she could feel a chill in the air.

* * *

"The war is inching closer every day. We can't afford to be neutral."  
  
"If we choose sides, we'll be wiped out."  
  
"The war may be growing, but we're in the middle of nowhere. We have no strategic value, and nothing worthwhile to raid. We won't be hit."  
  
"Of course we'll be attacked sooner or later, don't be a fool!"  
  
"Shouldn't this wait until after the festival?"  
  
Willy listened quietly to the group of elders' arguement. The war was on everyone's minds these days. "Ah, Willy." One elder finally noticed him. "You brought your family's donation to the feast?"  
  
"Yes. It's already in the banquet hall."  
  
"Where is the rest of your family?"  
  
"On there way to the square by now. Tally's already there."  
  
"Alone?"  
  
"...No..."  
  
"That soldier is with her?"  
  
"Mick is with her."  
  
"I understand he has recovered well." Another elder broke in.  
  
"His fever is long gone, and his wounds are healing."  
  
"Then it's time he left." Another elder spoke up. "Soldiers aren't welcome here. He's never told us which side he fights for. If hes stays they'll be trouble."  
  
"A fine show of hospitality that is." A fourth elder complained. "We're sorry for your wounds, now leave."  
  
"He's a danger to us all."  
  
"We can't just throw someone out of the village. He's done no wrong."  
  
"My family would like to request he be allowed to stay until his wounds are fully healed." Willy interupted the growing arguement.  
  
"How long will that take?" The first elder who'd spoken to him asked.  
  
"Most likely another month."  
  
"Another month!" The third elder complained.  
  
"Enough." The first elder frowned at him. "We will debate your request, please enjoy the festival." He told Willy.  
  
"I will." He left them to their arguements.

* * *

It had been on his way back from another village, where he'd gone to buy and trade supplie, that he'd discovered Mick. Unconscious on the rocky ground, no sign of any kind of vehicle or companions. No sign any vehicle had even passed. He was wounded, and feverish. Willy had taken him back to his village, where his family cared for him. The fever had clung to him for over a week. He'd called out names, and orders. Asked to be taken to places noone in the village had heard of. And, when the fever was at its peak, cried out angrily about Machestro and the Machina.  
  
The villagers had simply said he was delirous because of the fever. Even his family had shrugged off his rantings. For some reason, Willy couldn't. He didn't know why, but he had a felt as though he'd been trying to warn them of something. If he'd been fighting in the war, why didn't he curse Renard or Tatania? He had fought in the war, Mick told him later. For whatever side at first...but then...  
  
He never finished. Never said what had happened that had found him wounded and alone near the village. Nor which side he now believed in, or distrusted. Noone told him about his rantings of Machina and Machestro. Willy had a feeling it was the most important part of their meeting.  
  
Maybe because he'd grown up in the small, superstitious village. Maybe because he'd never quite stopped believing that Machestro had, at the very least, been real at some point in the past. Maybe because strange sounds and lights were said to be heard and seen if you travelled to the mountains that stood a day's travel away. Maybe because he'd gone their out of curiousity when he was younger, and had seen things he still couldn't explain.  
  
Whatever the reason, Mick's ravings about Machina troubled him deeply. Willy felt as if fate had suddenly payed him an unexpected visit. He paused, finding himself not in the village square, but at the edge of the village that faced the mountains. He frowned out at them.

* * *

A strange, grumbling sound filled his ears as he stood on a ledge of one of the mountains. The whole mountain seemed to shake, then a brilliant light illuminated the sky briefly before fading. Silence followed the sudden occurances. Absolute silence. From a cave above where he stood something emerged, flying off into the sky. It was followed by smaller objects. Darker shadows on shadows. Then all was still and quiet again.  
  
It took him quite some time to climb to the cave. Smoke filled the entrance, but the smell wasn't like a fire. It smelled sharp and unpleasant. And old. Something had been destroyed down inside the depths of the mountains...no, something had...died. The air seemed thick, and the smoke spilled down the mountain like tears. As if the mountain wept with loss.  
  
Willy had drawn back. He wasn't...welcome in the cave. Noone was, not anymore. He turned away, climbing back down the mountains.

* * *

Willy turned from the mountains, and paused. For a moment he thought he'd seen the figure in the shadows again. Then it was gone. Suddenly Mick appeared from around the edge of one of the building, walking slowly - like a predator stalking a prey. But he frowned as he looked around, and his motions became normal. "Lost him." He said aloud.  
  
"Lost who?" Willy asked.  
  
Mick turned, startled. "Willy? What are you doing way out here?"  
  
"That's what I was going to ask you."  
  
"...did you see it?" Mick looked around.  
  
"I saw something."  
  
"I followed it from the square."  
  
"Was it a soldier? Or just a thief?" Willy queried.  
  
"Too trained for a soldier, too obvious for a thief...besides, a thief wouldn't go to the village square. Not when there was so many empty houses to steal from."  
  
"Then what was it?"  
  
"Something that likes the shadows." Mick answered.  
  
"A Machina?"  
  
Mick looked over at him. "Would you think I was crazy if I said yes?"  
  
"I'd think l you'd be being honest for once."  
  
"Huh...Well, whatever it was is gone now. Let's get back to the square."

* * *

The village square was abuzz with strange activity. The music had stopped, and everyone was shouting and argueing. "What's this?" Mick was curious.  
  
"I don't know." Willy approached the gathering.  
  
"Who's job was it to watch it?" Someone asked.  
  
"It's never needed watched before." Someone stated.  
  
"Times are changing."  
  
"What's happened?" Willy asked the nearest person.  
  
"It's the most terrible thing, the feast has been destroyed." They replied.  
  
"Destroyed?" Willy repeated.  
  
"I saw we fan out and search!" Someone shouted. "The culprit couldn't have gotten far!"  
  
"It must be a stranger." Someone else spoke up. "Surely we can find them."  
  
"I say our first suspect is right there!" The third elder turned to point at Mick, who was waiting outside the circle of townspeople.  
  
"What? Me? You've got to be kidding." Mick protested.  
  
"Where were you?"  
  
"He was in the village square with me!" Tally protested, standing with her and Willy's family.  
  
"Then where did he just come from?"  
  
"...He said he wanted to go look at something." Tally admitted.  
  
"Sounds suspicious to me."  
  
"I met up with him on the village outskirts." Willy spoke up. "That's about as far from the feast as you can get."  
  
"Perhaps he intended to leave after the crime, and meeting you foiled his plans."  
  
"If he was leaving, why wouldn't he have gone to get his pack?" Willy asked him.  
  
"Perhaps it was of no value to him." The third elder shrugged. "I still say he's guilty. We should banish him."  
  
"There's no proof." The fourth elder interrupted.  
  
"He doesn't care about proof." Mick told him. "He just wants me gone."  
  
"Silence, you! You have never even told us whose side you fight for. Our village is neutral, but the longer you remain here the more danger we are put in!" The third elder shouted.  
  
"I owe no allegiance to anyone, old man." Mick replied. "But I do know when I've overstayed my welcome, I'm leaving."  
  
"But you haven't fully recovered!" Willy's Mother stepped forward.  
  
"I've recovered enough." Mick replied. Thank-you for your assistance." He looked over at Willy. "You and all of your family's."  
  
"Reconsider. Noone truly blames you for today's events." Willy's Father spoke up.  
  
"I'm not leaving because your festival's been ruined, I'm leaving because it's past time. I've stayed here too long as it is. But let me leave all of you with a warning. I followed something from here to the outskirts of the village. I don't know who or what it was, but nothing harmless skulks the shadows. Be on guard." Mick turned and left the square.  
  
The villagers broke into smaller groups, whispering amongst themselves. Willy made his way over to his family. Tally pulled on his sleeve. "Is he going to be okay?"  
  
"He's going to be fine...but someone has to look after him." He looked at his parents.  
  
His mother lowered her eyes, then looked back up. "Be careful."  
  
"What do you mean?" One of his two brother's asked. "Be careful of what?"  
  
His father layed a hand on each of his younger son'ts shoulders. "Your brother is going on a journey. And I have a feeling he'll be gone for awhile."  
  
"So do I." Willy admitted.  
  
"Can I come?" Tally queried.  
  
"No, Tally. It's much too dangerous." His mother put her arms around Tally's shoulders. "Let's go pack some food for their journey." She led her away.  
  
"Is it really that dangerous?" His second brother asked.  
  
Willy looked down at him. "Well, I have a feeling it certainly will never be dull. I best go pack."  
  
Her father reached over to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Come back to see us somtime."  
  
"I will."  
  
He caught up to Mick on the outskirts of the village facing the mountains. The exact spot they had run into eachother earlier. He was staring at the mountains in the distance with a frown. "Thinking of heading toward the mountains?"  
  
"Away from them, actually." Mick didn't turn around immediately. "I don't like the look of them."  
  
"Where are we headed exactly?"  
  
"The next village over, and the one next to that...and...what?" He turned, noticing the bag Willy carried. "Who invited you?"  
  
"I did. :You need someone to watch your back, until you're recovered fully at the very least."  
  
"I didn't ask for help. I don't need anyone to watch my back."  
  
"Then how did you end up needing our help in the first place?"  
  
"Sure, kick a man while he's down." Mick muttered. "Fine, come along. But you better not get in the way."  
  
"I have a feeling watching out for you is going to be a full time job." Willy replied.  
  
"I don't think I appreciate that comment."  
  
"Are we leaving the village or not?"  
  
"Hey, who put you in charge? If you're travelling with me, I'm in charge..."

* * *

The reports of mysterious sightings grew in number as time past. Noone could explain what was happening. The war grew day by day, soon no place in Terrana would be free of it. When one witness ranted about something coming from the mountains, Mick questioned Willy about them. He told him what was said about the mountains, and his own experiences there. But after that it was never brought up again.  
  
Then their travels took them by Willy's village again. It was the same as always. They'd arrived on the festival they'd left on. But Mick refused to enter the village. He stayed with the vehicles they'd aquired so Willy went on alone. HIs family was delighted to see him again; Tally and his brothers wanted to hear of his travels. Before he knew it dusk had fallen.  
  
He decided to try to convince Mick to atleast come into the village to stay the night. Tally, ever adventurous, jumped at the chance to come with him. He saw no harm in taking her. Fate was hovering nearby, and its second visit would not be pleasant.  
  
"So, how many places have you been?" Tally pressed.  
  
"I lost count." Willy told her.  
  
"Is that your vehicle?" Tally ran forward to investigate. "Didn't you say there was two? Where's Mick?"  
  
Tally's questions echoed the ones in his own mind. He wandered to where the other vehicle had been parked. Tracks led off toward the mountains. "Tally, can you find your way back to the village?"  
  
"We're still in sight of it, I think I can manage." Tally replied sarcastically. "What's going on?"  
  
"That's what I'd like to know." Willy answered.  
  
Tally frowned. There seemed to be a chill in the air again, like on the day Willy had first left. She left up to hug him tightly. "I love you, brother, be careful." She lept down to run toward the village.  
  
Willy frowned, not like that farewell, as he climbed into his vehicle and sped off following Mick's tracks.

* * *

Mick was climbing the mountains slowly. He'd found himself debating over his planned course of action when he'd found himself alone. Eventually shrugging it off he'd made his way to the mountain range. It had taken him awhile to decide which way to take that would get him to the collection of caves Willy had described. All the debating had cost him most of the daylight, but there was no way he was waiting until the next day to search the cave.  
  
The roar of the engine informed him of Willy's arrival. He pulled himself onto a secure ledge before turning to look downn at him. "That was a short visit!"  
  
Willy only shook his head and started climbing. It took him half the time it had taken Mick to reach the ledge. "What are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like?" Mick returned.  
  
"Well, if you're heading for the cave you need to veer more right." He replied, taking the lead.  
  
"Nothing worse than a cocky sidekick." MIck muttered before following him.  
  
The smoke was gone, but the same sense of loss remained inside the cave. And the feeling of not being welcome. They exchanged a glance, but now words passed between them as they descended down the path into the mountain.  
  
The path was long, and winding. At first it seemed endless, but then the sharp scent began to fill the pathway. It grew stronger the father down they went - the closer they drew to it's source - as did the feeling that something had died where the path led. It was rather like descending into a tomb.  
  
They finally emeged on an edge overlooking a round cavern. At it's center stood a pedestal, blackened and scorched. Whatever had stood on it had been blown apart, pieces of what might have been something mechanical were strewn across the floor. Handhold led from the edge to the floor of the cavern. They climbed down slowly.  
  
Mick bent to pick up one of the pieces. Willy studied the pedestal. "Work of the ancients." He said slowly.  
  
"More ancient than you can imagine." Mick murmurred, studying what he held. "It was important. They wouldn't have destroyed it otherwise."  
  
"And who are they?" Willy asked him.  
  
Mick frowned at him, then shrugged. "Whoever destroyed this place. Whoever you saw leave it. Whoever we saw in your village the day we left it. A third side to your war, against both sided - though they don't know it...or won't admit it." He lay the piece of machiner he held on the floor. "We're far too late to do any good here."  
  
"You aren't taking that with you?" Willy nodded to the piece he'd put aside.  
  
Mick glanced down at it, and was surprised to feel himself shiver. "No, it belongs here. Let it rest in peace." Willy glanced over at him, surprised at his choice of word, but said nothing. "Let's go."  
  
They started for the edge when an explosion shook the cavern. "What was that?" Willy asked.  
  
Mick's eyes widened as another explosion shook them. "Bombs."  
  
"The village." Willy was up onto the ledge and heading out of the cavern before Mick could stop him. He had no choice but to follow, with one last look around the cavern. He reached the outside edge to find Willy still there, staring down at the village and the machines attacking it. "What are they?"  
  
Mick looked over at him, debating. "Machina. Y'know, the people who don't exist."  
  
"Who's working with them?"  
  
"...Renard." Mick glanced over to judge his reaction, but he was starting down the cliff. "Willy, you can't do any good down there. That's an army. You'll just be throwing your life away." Willy didn't reply, he just continued down the cliff.. "Willy!" Mick looked back at the village, judging how far along the attack the Machina were. He sighed as he started to climb down too. "Machestro's troops will be gone and Renard's troops moving in by the time we get there." He muttered, not sure if that realization was a curse or a relief.  
  
Willy reached the ground first, taking one of their vehicles and leaving Mick to follow. But the machina were already withdrawing by the time he started toward the village. Dawn was breaking when Mick arrive to find Willy waiting for him.  
  
"No survivors." Was Willy's greeting.  
  
"There wouldn't be. Not after a Machina attack. They're very thorough in that respect."  
  
The sound of many vehicles reached them. "What's that?"  
  
"Renard's army. Here to claim their victory. We might be able to outrun them, come on." He headed for their vehicles. Willy paused, looking around at the destroyed village one last time before following. "If they catch us, we arrived after the destruction. We didn't see anything." Mick told him. Willy only nodded in response. Mick looked over at him and sighed. "I'm sorry, Willy. But there's nothing we could have done against them anyway. Let's get out of here."  
  
Willy only nodded again.

* * *

The fire was spent. Only barely burning embers remained. All was dark inside the hut Willy had set up in. He headed outside again. The sky was still cloudy, only a hint of color showed in the east. But trees stood where he'd planted the seed the day before. He watched them sway in the wind which was slowly growing in strength.  
  
A storm was brewing.

* * *

Salmon 2003  
  
Yay! I finally finished this and got it typed up! About 10 months later than planned. But aren't you all proud of me?  
  
**Salmon's Id:** No. You're late again.  
  
drip  
  
**Salmon's Id:** And you messed up the King and Queen's names.

I fixed them!

**Salmon's Id:** Yah, a year later

drip

Please Review...


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